I'm looking for some advice on removing some scratches from my paint. I have a '05 Black Jetta.
I'm just went over some test spots on my car using a pc 7424xp with 4' orange LC pads and menz SIP. I went over it 3 times and there are still small scratches left (they pass the fingernail test).
I used the 'slow hand' method that I have read about. I used 3 chocolate chip sized dabs around the outer edges of the pad. I applied the polish at speed 3 till it was broken down, then I spritzed the pad with water and repeated the last step twice.
Then I spritzed the pad again and set the pc to speed 5, and lastly I spritzed the pad again and put the speed up to 6 and put some pressure on the pad until there was virtually no polish left. The holgrams and spiderwebs are all gone but there are still stubborn scratches that remain.
I guess my question is.... would the next step for me to step up to something like Megs 105 and use an LC orange pad and then finish up with Menz 106FA. Will the 105 cut ALOT more than the SIP does? I have seen pics of scratches that are worse than mine and they came out but most of them used a rotary.
My ex still has my camera so unfortunately I cant include any pics.
I'll assume (uh-oh...that's always risky ) that your paint is similar to that on my Audis.
I'm just went over some test spots on my car using a pc 7424xp with 4' orange LC pads and menz SIP. I went over it 3 times and there are still small scratches left (they pass the fingernail test).
IMO that's not as aggressive as you might think. Not that 100% perfection is always a good idea even if a scratch passes the fingernail test..
I used the 'slow hand' method that I have read about. I used 3 chocolate chip sized dabs around the outer edges of the pad. I applied the polish at speed 3 till it was broken down, then I spritzed the pad with water and repeated the last step twice.
Even with the more powerful version of the PC, speed 3 isn't enough. I like relatively slow speeds with 4" orange pads, but 3 is just too slow.
AFAIK the Menzerna is a diminishing abrasive product, so the spritzing-to-reactivate won't work. You're not accomplishing anything further once the product has broken down.
Then I spritzed the pad again and set the pc to speed 5, and lastly I spritzed the pad again and put the speed up to 6 and put some pressure on the pad until there was virtually no polish left. The holgrams and spiderwebs are all gone but there are still stubborn scratches that remain.
By the time you cranked up the speed the product had already broken down and lost its cut. Do the high speed + pressure for the whole thing...no real need for low-speed spreading or anything like that.
I guess my question is.... would the next step for me to step up to something like Megs 105 and use an LC orange pad and then finish up with Menz 106FA. Will the 105 cut ALOT more than the SIP does?
I *think* the M105 will cut a lot more than the SIP, but I don't use Menzerna. I know there's some debate regarding how Menzerna Power Gloss and M105 compare.
M105 can do serious correction via 4" orange pads, but it can take *many* passes to do it on hard clear (and I don't mean just five or six). More aggressive options include small PFW pads (good idea in general, but they sure wear out fast) and/or 4" Edge/Cyclo brand wool pads (kinda tricky to use, maybe not a good idea unless you're quite experienced), and the 4" Sur-Buff pads (no worthwhile personal experience with them but Kevin Brown insists that they cut like you wouldn't believe).
I have seen pics of scratches that are worse than mine and they came out but most of them used a rotary.
Don't put *any* stock in what you see other people doing, especially on the internet. Not even the other members here. I'm serious...that's a good way to get yourself into serious trouble very fast.
I do think you oughta have M105, and I'd get M205 for the follow-up as I'm not sure about how well the Menzerna 106FA will clear things up.
But if you just do all the SIP/orange polishing at a higher speed with pressure it might work *so much* better that you'll be satisified. At least if you resign yourself to maybe 90% correction being sufficient.
Beware the unconditional pursuit of perfection, at least until you're 100% certain that you can then go at least a year without instilling any new marring that you'll want to polish out.
Until the wash regimen is *completely* sorted out, to where polishing is a *very* rare occurence, getting a finish nearly perfect is, *IMO*, a game for suckers, who will a) spend their lives polishing away clearcoat and/until, b) they run out of said clearcoat.
Thank you for that Accumulator. I appreciate you taking the time to write me up such a detailed reply. This is my very first real detail (aside from sampling different products on my 94 accord winter car).
IYO, do you think it would be worth it to just invest in a rotary or will the PC do the same but just a much much slower rate? I will try the advice you gave me. I will have to order some M105/M205 and gets some PVW's and see how that works out.
I'm def new to this so I'm trying to tell myself not to expect 100% perfection, or I will def end up driving myself crazy and ending up with no paint at all.
IYO, do you think it would be worth it to just invest in a rotary or will the PC do the same but just a much much slower rate? I will try the advice you gave me. I will have to order some M105/M205 and gets some PVW's and see how that works out...
I absolutely, positively do *NOT* think you need to/should get a rotary. IF (and that's a very big "if" IMO) you need a more powerful machine I'd suggest a Flex 3401. I most always work on *HARD* clear and since I got my Flex my rotaries have stayed on the shelf gathering dust.
IMO you can do anything that oughta be done via your PC and even the Flex would be more of an expensive luxury than a necessity.
I'm def new to this so I'm trying to tell myself not to expect 100% perfection, or I will def end up driving myself crazy and ending up with no paint at all.
Glad to hear that. See how just altering your technique works for you. Then, if necessary, try the Meguiar's stuff and/or the PFW pads (though I do OK with orange foam in most cases).
I think I might break down and buy myself a Flex 3401 to correct my paint and use my DA for applying waxes and sealants.
Seeing as how im a newb, probably better to go with the safer route. From what I've read and from your experience, the Flex seems like the new 'go to' polisher. I guess I will have to wait a week till I get my Flex and M105/205 combo. Maybe I will be able to get my camera back as well and be able to post some pics.
Thanks again for giving me some hope in the pursuit for 90% of paint perfection.
) that your paint is similar to that on my Audis.